Fire extinguishing system



Aug. 22, 1933. M. w. M LAREN r FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sywwto'c Wa/co/m MY) 1 arzn ga k s flbto'mws ,8 09%;.

Aug. 22, 1933. M. w. M LAREN FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet z Filed Nov. 23, 1928 5am; of a, C linders- Aug. 22, 1933. M. w. McLAREN 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 I @hqz/ E9. v 95 M116 Gu Aug. 22, 1933. I M. w. MQLAREN 1,923,160

FIRE EXTINGUI SHING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 m5 aum s 8M3 v flu Patented Aug.

EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Malcolm Wate McLaren, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Walter Kidde & Company, Inc., a Corporation of New York Application November 23, 1928 Serial No. 321,379

12 Claims. (Cl. 169-11) This invention relates in general to fire extinguishing systems particularly of the type which employs carbon dioxide gas as the extinguishing medium.

,One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a simple and efficient apparatus employing carbon dioxide gas for use inextinguishing fires.

A further object of this invention contemplates an apparatus of the above type which may be connected to the usual first sprinkler system as employed in large buildings by means of which the advantages and features of such a system when employing carbon dioxide gas as the extinguishing medium are secured.

A further object of this invention involves a carbondioxide fire extinguishing system employing a battery'of high pressure gas cylinders connected together to be operated in unison and a power device for efiecting their operation automatically.

A furthen object involves the idea of employing a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas under suitable pressure connected to the power device agove by means of which the energy of the stored gas may be employed for its operation.-

A still further object of the invention contemplates automatic application of the pressure in the cylinder operating the power device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve structure for the gas cylinders which particularly adapts them for connection to the device by means of which they are operated in unison. Y

A still further object of this invention is the provision of valve structures on gas cylinders and connecting mechanism by means of which the valves may be easily and rapidly connected together by said mechanism to provide a structure in which the valves may be operated in unison. p

These and other objects as will be apparent from the following disclosure are secured by means of the devices of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts all as will appear more fully hereinafter and distinctly pointed out in the appended claims. Y

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a building showing the application of the fire extinguishing apparatus of this invention thereto for purposes of fire protection.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view with some'parts in tureof Fig; 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one of the cylinders and its valve operating crank.

Fig. 'Iis a top plan view of two gas cylinders and a diiferent form of valve operating mechanism, and V Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the structure of Fig. 7.

This invention involves devices and apparatus by means of which the advantages of the use of carbon dioxide gas as a fire extinguishing me-- 7 dium are secured. The apparatus and principles of the invention are adapted for application to the present piping system employed in water fire extinguishing systems in which the pipes are provided with spaced fusible sprinkler heads which permit of the escape of the water upon the development of abnormal temperature conditions.

The advantages of carbon dioxide gas as an eflicient fire extinguishing medium are now well known. The apparatus disclosed below is particularly adapted to most efilciently employ this medium in a manner. which is dependable, economical and safe.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is now made in detail to the drawings.

At 1 has been shown a cross-section of a building, for instance, having a number of floors on which it is desired to secure fire protection. At

22 has been indicated generally a bank of gas cylinders, of a type now well known in which carbon dioxide gas under considerable pressure, as, for instance, one thousand pounds per square inch is stored and shipped. Each cylinder is provided with a valve which valves are operated in a manner to be disclosed more in detail. The cover for these valves has been indicated at 3. The valves are intended to be operated in unison by means of a motive device comprising a cylinder 4. An auxiliary gas cylinder or power bottle? 5. is connected through the valve 11 and pipe 13 to a pressure gauge 12 that is clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Pipe 13 extends to a pressure reducing valve 14 of which many suitable types are now well known in the The gauge 15 no indicates the reduced me. which flows mm 22 in a manner-to be described later. The letthand end of cylinder 4 is'connected through check valve; 2l,and pipe 22' to pipe 'I which is led from all the cylinders 22 in the cylinder Near the ceiling on each floor are indicated the pipes 6, 8 and 9 which are connected together by means -of thepipe 'l which leads from the cylinders 22. Each of the distributing pipes on each floor is. provided at intervals with -a fusible sprinkler head 10 which may be of any or the well known types adapted to open upon ahtei development oi abnormal temperature conons. Y The check valves which have been indicated at 21 in Fig. 2 are shown in greater detailin Fig. 3. They consist oi a body portion having integral hollow extensions 31 and 32. The

' main valve body 36 is hollow and is provided with a transverse wall 33 having a -open-.

mg and a seat to receive the ball valve 34. The

ball-34 is provided with a stem 35 on which is mounted a spring 36 which normally tends to hold the ball 3401! its seat.

. ,The motive device ioroperating the valves in unison is clearly shown in Figs, 4 to 6 inclusive; The cylinders 22 are held in a predetermined fixed relation by means of parallel beams 40 having semi-circular notches at spaced intervals between which'the cylinders are secured by; means of bolts 41., These bolts extend through the ends of all the beams and serve to clamp the structure into a rigid unit. The cylinders may be supported on a suitable base 42 as indicated in Fig. 5. Extending longitudinally of the unit over each row of cylinders arethe angle irons 43 -which are secured to projections 61 (Fig. 8) on each valve.

These angle irons serve to rigidly unite the cylinders and to support a portion of the operating mechanism. The angle irons 43 extend beyond thebeams 40 and are at their tree end by means of a plate 44 on which the cylinder 4 ismounted,

Each cylinder. 22 is provided with a valve 45 which controls the escape of .gas from the cylinder. Eachvalve 45isprovidedwithacrank 46 which cranks are connected together by means of links 47 to provide a pivotal connection. A transverse angle plate 46 is secured to "to ,which'is secured a short length of pipe 50.

the pipes 50 are connected .toa common pipe which there are two in this structure. Thesepipes'lareunitedsothatthegasiromall thecylindersmayiiowthroughpipe'ltothe various distributing pipes .6, 8 and 9 (Fig. 1).

.As will be obvious the constructionshown in 4 to 6 inclusive, has one disadvantage ch might tend to interfere with the correct operation oi..the apparatus. If the cylinders Valve's 45 are provided with stems 45 on which are supported the angle beams 43 through the agency of the lugs 61 and bolts 62. The gas outlets for 'the valves are shown at 63*to which the pipes 5(Lare connected. 64 which stems have a cap piece 65 at the upper end to provide in effect an annular groove on the valve .stem. The valve stems are provided with the usual hand wheels 66. The cranks are proe vided as before and 'are pivotally united by means of the links 47.

In this construction, however,

the hand wheels are provided with arcuate slots 67, The cranks 60 are likewise each provided with-an arcuate slot adapted to' overlie any one of the arcuate slots 6'1; One end of the crank .60 is notched Y so that it will lie under the cap piece -on' valve stem 64. By means of this arrangement the valvesmay all be properly adjusted so that in one position of the-operating cranks 60 they are. all completely closed. The cranks 60 may then be secured in their proper position with respect to their hand wheels 66-by 'means of the bolts '10. By' means of this arrangement it is assured that all the valves will be'completely closed in one position and will move together when the operating mechanism is operated. This construction permits of ease infldisconecting the cranks 60 from-the valvesby simply removing bolts 70. V

The system shown in Figs. .1 and 2 is automatic in operation, The auxiliary cylinder 5 which contains cabon dioxide gas at considerable pressure acts' as a somce of power which is highly dependable, relatively cheap to produce and maintain, and adapted for ready replacement. This cylinder 5-'is always connected to the cylinder 4 of the motive device so that a'balanced pressure is maintained on both sides of piston 19. Valve 11 is opened and valve 14 is adjusted so that any desired pressure is main pressure supplied by valve 14 to the cylinder 4.

Since pipe 7 is connected through pipe 22to the leit-hand end of the cylinder it is apparent that the same pressure supplied\ from cylinder 5 which exist-shin both ends of the cylinder w ill alsoexistinpipes'l,andalsoinpipes6,8and 9. A suitable for instance, could be twenty pounds per square inch gauge. The amount of this presure will, oi course depend upon the size of piston 19 and the extent oi. the pipe system in the building since it is necessary to have suilicient pressure to operate the piston 19. In initially setting the system for operation the reducing valve 14 is set so as to deliver gas ,at the desired pressure, and then valve 16 is are not secured between the beams 40 in the insi, as ior on the top fl the V perature rises to the point where the fusible sprinkler head 10 melts and permits the initial mcape of" carbon dioxide gas from the system. The result is that the pressure falls in pipe 7 and in the left-hand end of cylinder 4 so that check valve 21 in pipe 18 is closed. The tension on the spring 36, of course, can be adjusted so that it is open when the pressures in pipes 18 and 7 are substantially the same. Since the lefthand end of cylinder 4 is now open to exhaust throughpipes 22' and 7 the piston 19 will move to the left under the pressure supplied from cylinder 5 through pipe 24. This will cause all the valves on cylinders 22 to be opened simultaneously through the agency of piston rod 20, cross-arm 49, links 50' and 47, and cranks 46. The gas then flows through pipe 7 from cylinders 22 to pipe 9. The gas then escapes under considerable pressure out of the sprinkler heads which have opened and as a result the flre is rapidly without the use of water which, as is well known, usually causes more damage than the flre. The check valve 21 in pipe 22' being open tothe very high pressure of gas supplied to pipe 7 is closed thereby so that gas is not admitted to the left-hand of cylinder 4 to cause the piston 19 to return. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is entirely automatic and depends upon, for its operation, an auxiliary cylinder of gas.

I am, of course, well, aware that many changes in the physical construction of the devices embodying the principles of this invention will readily occur to' those skilled in the art and I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure in the drawings and specification which have been given for purposes of. illustration but rather to the scope of the inventio as defined in the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure as disclosed, the combination comprising a plurality of gas containers, means for holding them in spaced relation, a valve on each container, actuating means for the valve comprising members having a plurality of arcuate slots arranged in a circle, a lever arm provided with an arcuate slot, means passing through the slot on the arm and one of the slots on the member for readily securing the lever to said member at any desired point, and link members for pivotally uniting all of said levers together.

2. Ina fire extinguishing system of the type described the combination comprising a tank of extinguishing gas held under high pressure, a. pipe distributing system having fusible elements therein connected to said tank, a valve in said connection for releasing the gas from the tank to the pipe system, a cylinder having a. piston therein and a connection between the piston and said valve, 2. connection between the pipe distributing system and said cylinder including a check valve to prevent the flow of gas from the tank through the pipe system to the cylinder, two pipes connected to said cylinder one near each end thereof, a tank having fluid pressure therein and a connection from said tank to' said pipes connected to both ends of said cylinder.

3. In a fire extinguishing system of the type described the combination comprising a tank of extinguishing gas held under high pressure, a pipe distributing system having fusible elements therein connected to said tank, a valve in said connection for releasing the gas from the tank to the pipe system, a cylinder having a piston therein and a connection between the piston and said valve, a connection between the pipe distributing system and said cylinder including a check valve to prevent the flow of gas from the tank through the pipe system to the cylinder,

two pipes connected to said cylinder one near each end thereof, a tank containing a fluid pressure medium and a connection between said tank and said pipes connected to the ends of said cylinder, including a pressure reducing valve.

4. In a-flre extinguishing system of the type described the combination comprising a container holding the fire extinguishing gas under high pressure, apipe distributing system having fusible members therein-connected to said tank, a valve in said connection, fluid pressure.

means connected to said valve for operating it, an independent source of fluid pressure connected to each side of said fluid pressure operated means, and a connection between one pipe distributing system connected to-said valveand having a plurality of fusible elements therein, and power means for operating said valve including a fluid pressure source connected thereto on each side thereof and to the pipe distributing system for normally maintaining fluid pressure in the pipe distributing system, whereby the power means actuates said valve when. one or more of the fusible elements releases the gas pressure in the pipe distributing system and from one side of said'powermeans.

'6. In a fire extinguishing system, the combination with a structure to be protected, of a source of high pressure gas, a pipe system con nected thereto and suitably placed within said structure, fusible outlets in said pipe system, valve means for controlling the supply of gas from saidsource to said pipe system, fluid pressure means for operating said valve means, a

pipe connection between said pipe system and one side of said fluid pressure means, and independent means connected by pipes to each side of said fluid pressure means for continually supplying a fluid pressure medium thereto, the

pressure. on one side of said fluid pressure means being relieved through said pipe connection upon the fusing of one of said fusible out-,

lets whereby said valve means is opened to supply gas from said source to said pipe system.

7. A fire extinguishing system employing a gas extinguisher, comprising a container for storing the extinguishing gas under high pressure, a valve for'controlling the flow of gas from,said container, a pipe distributing system having a plurality of heat responsive gas outlet means therein, fluid pressure operated means including l a piston for operating said valve, an independent source of fluid pressure connected to said fluid pressure operated means on each side of the piston, and a. pipe connection between one side of said fluid pressure operated means and said pipe distributing means through which the pressure on said side of said fluid pressure operated mean is relieved upon actuation of one ,0! the heat ve gas outlet means vghereby saidvalveis opened to supply gas from said container to system. 1

systememployingagas t u s er. mprisin mg the gas under high pressure, a valve for controllingithe flow of gas from said container, a pipe havinga -plurality, of heat operated outlet means therein,

a fluid pressure engine comprising a cylinder Iand piston, said piston being connected to said valve, an independent sourcefpt fluid pressure,

:a pipe connectionbetween said source and each end of the cylinder, and a pipe connection ber tween said pipe distributing system and one end of said cylimier through whichthe pressure on] said end of said cylinder is relieved upon actuation of one of the heat operated outlet means said container to said pipe system;

9. A gas flre system, comprising a containerior storing the gas extinguisher, a valve on said container, a pipe distributing whereby said valve is opened to supply gas from system having a plurality of heat actuated dis charge devices. thereon, fluid pressure operated means for operatingsaid valve, an independent.

source otfluid pressure connected to each side ofsaid fluid pressure operated means, anda' pipe connection from said distributing system to one side of said fluid pressure operated means whereby the fluid pressure from said source exists in said 'pipe distributing isystem said fluid pressure means acting to open said valve upon the actuation of said heat actuated devices and. [the relief or the pressure from one side of said fluid 'pres'sureoperated means through said pipe connection.

10. In a flre extinguishing system of the type describedrjthe combination comprising a container for the extinguishing gas under pressure, -a valve'ior controlling the flow of gas from said container, ,a pipe distributing system having aplurality ofcheat responsive gas outlet means therein to said valve, fluid pressure means including a piston connected to said I valve to operate it, a connectionfbetweenthe pipe distributing system and one side of the fluid pressure means including means to preventthe'flowof gas irom'the container through the. pipe system to said side of the fluid pressure means, an independent source'of fluid pressure connected 4 to said fluid pressure means on each side of the a container for stor-' piston,'and means in the connection-to the side of the piston tov which the pipe distributing system is connected to preventlthe flow of the medium from the independent source of fluid pressureto the fluid pressure means after relie! of the pressure therefrom upon actuation of one oi the heat responsive gas outlet means,

whereby said valve is opened to supp y gas from said container to said pipe system.

11. In-a flre extinguishing system of the type described, the combination comprising a containerior storing the extinguishing gas under pressure, a valve for-controlling the flow of gas from said container, a pipe distributing system having aplurality of heat responsivefgas outlet means therein connected to said valve, fluid pressure means for operating said valve, a connection between the-pipe distributing system,

and one-side of said fluid pressure means including means to'pre'vent thefflow 01'- gas from the container through the pipe system to said side of the fluid pressure means, an independent source of fluid pressure connected toeach side or the fluid'pressure means, and means in the connection to theside of the fluid pressure means which is connected'to the pipe distributing system to prevent the flow of the medium from the independent source of fluid pressure to the fluid pressure means aiter relief of the pressure from the fluid pressure means upon actuation ofone of the heat responsive gas outlet gas from said container-to said pipe system.

12.111 a tire extinguishing system oi-the type described, the combination comprising a con-,

tainer-Ior storing the extinguishing'gas under -means, whereby said valve is opened to supply pressure, a valve for controlling the now of gas from saidcontain'er,- fluid pressure means for operatingsaid valve, anindependent source of fluid pressure connected to .each side of said fluid pressure means, means to relieve thepressure from one side of said fluid pressure means, and means in the connection from the independent source of fluid pressure to the side oi the,' 

